Convertible tool



A. K. OLSEN.

CONVERTIBLE TOOL.

APPLICATION man mm. 1920.

1,369,262. Patented Feb; 22,1921.

2 SHEET SSHEE? L A. K. OLSEN? CONVERTIBLE TOOL.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 9, 1 920- 1,3 9,2 2, Patented Feb. 22,1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- srrs 'TENT FF E ADOLPH 1K. OLSEN, OF KILBO'UBN, WISCONSIN.

CONVERTIBLE TOOL.

Application filed j'anuary a, 1920. Serial no. 350,327;

. To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AnoLrH K. OLSEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kilbourn, in the county of Columbia and State of lVisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Convertible Tools, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in a convertible tool of a type which is more particularly intended for use in the removal of manure, litter, refuse, and the like,about barn-yards, and for removing snow from paths or side walks, and it consists in cer; tain pecuharitles of the construct on, novel arrangement, combination and operation of the various parts thereof as will be hereinafter more, fully set forth and specifically.

claimed.

The principal object of the invention is to provide simple and inexpensive'means which can be easily and securely attached to an ordinary fork, preferably a manure fork, whereby it can be readily converted into a handled scraper for floors or other'fiat'surfaces, a handledscoop for cleaning out gutters or channels, such as are usually located in the floors of cow or cattle stalls at therear ends thereof, and into a snow shovel, to be used wherever desired, or can be quickly detached from the fork thereby reconverting it into form for its normal or primary use.

A further object of the invention is to provide an attachment or means of the above mentioned general character, which shall be of such construction and operation of its parts that no tools or other parts, exclusive of the fork and the attachment, will be required in assembling them together for op,-

erative use, or for detaching them, thus pro- 7 viding an ever-ready convertible tool.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be disclosed in the following derection indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a fragmental sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2 as indicated by the arrows. 1

a front face View of the tool showing a modification in the construction thereof, or in the form of a scoop. to be used for cleaning out gutters, channels and the like.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan sectional view taken on line 6-6 of ig. 5 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows."

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional View taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 5 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. i

Specification of Letters Patent Paitnfed Feb. 22, 1921. l

Fig. 8 is a rear View of thetoolinthe form u of a scoop. I V

Fig. 9 is a front face view of the implement showing a modification thereof or in the form of a snow shovel, and l Fig. 10 is a rear face View thereof.

Corresponding numerals of reference dessignate like parts throughout the different views of the drawings.

l The referenceinumeral 151designates the handle ofthe fork, which in the presentinstance is shown' as being of the manure fork type and with four prongs I 16 extended downwardly from the top orshouldersf17 thereof, .to the upper portion of whichthe handle 15'may be secured by means of a socket 18 or ferrule suitably mountedon the upper. portion of the fork, or in any other suitable way. 1 I

While I have shown theffork in the form of a manure fork and withfour prongs or tines/16 substantially cylindrical in crosssection, yet it will be understood thatthe' number and shape of the prongs or tines may be varied and the style or type of the fork may be of any suitable kind having a lateral shoulder or upper portion extended from each'side of the ferrule or point to which the handle is secured at its lower end.

Referring now more particularly to Figs.

1 to 4: inclusive of the drawings, in which the tool is shown in the form of a scraper, the reference numeral 19 designates the body ofthe scraper, which body is by preference made of sheet metal andof any de sired size and shape, but usually rectangular, Withits upper portion forwardly inclined as shown. On the rear surface of the lower part of the body 19, is. transverselylocated the back or holding plate 20 of the scraper, which is also by preference .made

of sheet metal and secured tothe body 19 by 1 means of rivets 21 extended through suitable openings in said members.

As is clearly shown, the back orholding plate 20 is provided with a series of vertically disposed corrugations 22 which are properly spaced apart to receive the lower portions of the tines 16 of the fork. Interposed between the lower edges of the body 19 and back or holding plate 29 is atransversely disposed blade orscraping piece which is by preference made of steel and 1S held in position by means of rivets 24 located in suitable openings in said body,'back or holding plate and blade or piece.

On its rear upper portion the body 19 has a secured thereto by means of rivets or otherwise a clip 25 which has a transverse bearing 26 for the reception of the horizontal or transverse portion 27 of a bail, the arms 28 of which are spaced apart and extended upwardly and then downwardly forming when viewed'from the side substantially inverted U-shaped' members. The outer or upper end of each of the arms 28 is slightly in- ,turned and pivotally secured in a suitable opening inone of the prongs 29 of a handle lever ormember 30 at a suitabledi'stance r from the free end ofsaid prong.

with the handle lever ormernber 30 and are 1 spaced apart so as to permit of'the inser-- These prongs 29 are by preference integral tion there-between of the handle 15 and said prongs may possess some resiliency sofas to clamp or engage the handle on'opposite sides thereof, when in position on the fork.

By referenceto Figs. land 7 of the draw ings, it will be observed that the rear lower portion of each of the prongs 29 is provided with a curved cut-away .portionor edge 31 to be used for riding over the shoulders or lateral portion 17 of'the upper part of the fork.

of with the exception of the body member l9 are similar in construction and arrangement as that above described'and illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive; In the present modification, the body 19 of the device is made in the form of a scoop and by preferencehas at each of its side edges a side wall 32 which is extended forwardly therefrom andfat right angles therewith, so astc particularly adapt the body 19 for use in cleaning out the gutters or channels of cattle fstalls or stables which are usually'rectangus lar in cross-section.

shown the upper end of the body. or scoop 19 has a transversely and forwardly extended wall 33 which is united to the side walls and thus provides a container, or in other words, prevents the material scooped up passing over the upper or rear end of the scoop. In this form of the device a clip 25 is attached to the forwardly inclined and transverse wall 33 at about the middle of its rear portion to engage 1 the transverse portion 27 of the bail, the arms of which are connected to the prongs 29 of the handle lover or member 30 in a similar manner to that explained in the first described construction. The body 19 has transversely secured on its rear portion a back or holding plate 34 which is provided with vertically extended corrugations 35 to receive the tines or prongs 16 of the fork, which will be readily understood by reference to Figs. 6, 7 and 8 of the drawings. 1

In Figs. 9 and 10 is'shown still another modification in the construction of the attachment, which is in the form of a snow shovel, and in the modification or form now 7 under construction the parts are of substantially the same construction and arrangement as that above describedand shown in Figs. 1 to 8 inclusive, except that the body 19 is made in the form of a snow. shovel,

that is to say,,said body is substantially rec-. 'tangular in shape with the major part thereof in a plane flat surface but with its upper portion extended slightly forward as at 36, see Figs. 9 and 10 ofthe drawings. 7

Secured transversely on "the rear lower portion of the body 19 is a back or holding plate 37 which is provided with vertically extended corrugations 38 for the reception of the prongs 16 of the fork. Transversely mounted on the lower portion of thebody 19 is a reinforcingstrip or piece.;39 which by preference has at each of its ends a lip. 40 which are extended forwardly of and overlap the'body 19 near its lower end'and may be secured thereto in any suitable inanner.

' From the foregoing and by reference to the drawings, it will be readily understood 1 and clearly seen that substantially the same construction and arrangement of the parts of the device are maintained in each of the forms or constructions thereof, and that. by

placing the tines or pron s 16 of the fork between the back or holding plate of each of the bodies, and in the corrugations or receptacles for said tines when the same are used. and by placing theprongs 29 of the handle memberB O over the shoulders or lateral extensions 17 of the fork and astride of the handle 15 and'turningthe hand member 30 to'about the position shownin the different views of the. drawings, the body.

of either of the constructions will be securely held in place on the fork for the-particular use for which it is designed. hen it is'desired to remo ve the attachment from the fork, it is only necessary to turn the hand lever or member 30 forwardly and'downwardly from the handle 15 of the fork, when it is apparent that the entire attachment may be slid or removed from the fork prongs when. the fork can be used for its primary purpose.

While I have shown the body of the attachment mounted on the front portion of the prongs of the fork, yet I desire it to be understood that it may be mounted on the rear surfaces thereof particularly when the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 4: inclusive is employed. 7

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a handled fork having lateral extensions at the juncture of said handle with the prongs of the fork, of a body having a back plate provided with vertical openings and secured thereon to receive the lower portions of the fork prongs, a bifurcated handle member adapted to stride the handle of thefork above the lateral extensions thereof, a bail pivotally mounted on the upper portion of the body and having its arms pivotally secured to the prongs of the handle member.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a handled fork having lateral extensions at the juncture of said handle with the prongs of the fork, of a body having a back plate provided with vertical openings and secured thereon to receive the lower portions of the fork prongs, a handle member having laterally resilient prongs to stride the handle of the fork above the lateral extensions thereof, a bail pivotally mounted on the upper portion of the body and having arms resilient in planes at substantially right angles to the extensions of the fork and pivotally secured to the prongs of the handle member. 7

" ADOLPH K. ()LSEN. 

